Heat in History The Power Industry's View of Past,Present, and Future Two-Phase Flow Testing

Since 1974, Siemens' Power Generation Group (KWU) has been operating a high-pressure two-phase flow test loop-called the Benson test rig-which offers a range of operating conditions that is unique in the world (1 to 330 bar, 20 to 600°C, and 0 to 2 MW electric heating power). The 25th anniversary of the first tests performed at this test rig presents a good occasion not only for reviewing the past, but also for contemplating the future of two-phase flow experiments. The past was characterized by integral and separate effect tests for power generation using nuclear, fossil, and renewable energy sources as well as for process industries. This article will present examples demonstrating the flexible and broad range of applications for the Benson test rig. The results of the tests have been used to develop algorithms for implementation in computer programs and also for validating such programs. Usually these computer programs-so-called analysis tools-are used for analyzing systems or components. From an analyst's point of view, two-phase flow experiments serve either to verify global flow conditions or to supply inputs such as boundary conditions and material laws and/or initial conditions for the analysis tools. An advanced way of making sure that all available knowledge can be input into the analysis tools is to collect and store it in a program system from which it can be called up, whenever required, according to the task in hand. Siemens' KWU Group has started developing such a system. Apart from integral tests conducted for new power plants, future two-phase flow experiments will probably focus on expanding this program system's database.     

Effects of chilling rate on outgrowth of Clostridium perfringens spores in vacuum-packaged cooked beef and pork

Cooked, chilled beef and cooked, chilled pork were inoculated with three strains of Clostridium perfringens (NCTC 8238 [Hobbs serotype 2], NCTC 8239 [Hobbs serotype 3], and NCTC 10240). Inoculated products were heated to 75 degrees C, held for 10 min in a circulating water bath to heat activate the spores, and then chilled by circulating chilled brine through the water bath. Samples were chilled from 54.4 to 26.6 degrees C in 2 h and from 26.6 to 4.4 degrees C in 5 h. Differences in initial C. perfringens log counts and log counts after chilling were determined and compared with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) stabilization guidelines requiring that the chilling process allow no more than 1 log total growth of C. perfringens in the finished product. This chilling method resulted in average C. perfringens increases of 0.52 and 0.68 log units in cooked beef and cooked pork, respectively. These log increases were well within the maximum 1-log increase permitted by the USDA, thus meeting the USDA compliance guidelines for the cooling of heat-treated meat and poultry products.     

Time Delay Estimation by Cross-covariance Maximization of Quadrature Sampled Narrowband Signals

A numerically efficient algorithm for estimating the time delay from observations of a stationary narrowband signal and its delayed version is investigated. Quadrature sampling, a variant of bunched sampling, is applied to estimate samples of the quadrature components of the cross-covariance function of the two signals. The baseband magnitude squared of this function can be maximized for time delay estimation. Because the time delay is unknown, the baseband cross-covariance function cannot be interpolated from the estimated samples. Numerical maximization of the samples' magnitude squared and quadratic interpolation, however, results in a reasonable time delay estimate.     

High‐TC Interfacial Ferromagnetism in SrMnO3/LaMnO3 Superlattices

Heterostructures of strongly correlated oxides demonstrate various intriguing and potentially useful interfacial phenomena. LaMnO₃/SrMnO₃ superlattices are presented showcasing a new high‐temperature ferromagnetic phase with Curie temperature, T_C ≈360 K, caused by electron transfer from the surface of the LaMnO₃ donor layer into the neighboring SrMnO₃ acceptor layer. As a result, the SrMnO₃ (top)/LaMnO₃ (bottom) interface shows an enhancement of the magnetization as depth‐profiled by polarized neutron reflectometry. The length scale of charge transfer, λ_TF ≈2 unit cells, is obtained from in situ growth monitoring by optical ellipsometry, supported by optical simulations, and further confirmed by high resolution electron microscopy and spectroscopy. A model of the inhomogeneous distribution of electron density in LaMnO₃/SrMnO₃ layers along the growth direction is concluded to account for a complex interplay between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic layers in superlattices.     

Missstände bei der Vollziehung des Baurechts. Aktuelle Fälle aus der Volksanwaltschaft 2008/2

Aufgabe der Volksanwaltschaft ist es, auf Grund von Beschwerden oder von Amts wegen Missst?nde in der Verwaltung des Bundes und – auf Grundlage landesverfassungsgesetzlicher Erm?chtigungen (Bgld, Krnt, N?, O?, Sbg, Stmk, Wien) – der L?nder einschlie?lich des eigenen Wirkungsbereichs der Gemeinden zu prüfen. In diesem Zusammenhang hat die Volksanwaltschaft auch wichtige, praxisrelevante Rechtsfragen des Baurechts zu kl?ren.     

Anteil erneuerbarer Energien und klimarelevante CO2-Emissionen aus der thermischen Verwertung von Abfällen in Österreich

Since combustible wastes usually consist of biogenic (e.g. paper, wood, food waste) and fossil organic matter (plastics), their thermal recovery results in climate neutral and climate relevant CO₂ emissions. Moreover, the fraction of biogenic materials in the waste feed is relevant for the amount of renewable energy produced. The latter has to be reported and might be subsidized according to national laws (e.g. based on European directive 2009/28/EG). The present study represents the first comprehensive evaluation of the share of biogenic and fossil materials in the waste feed of waste-to-energy (WTE) plants on a national basis. The Balance Method, which is patented on a European level by TU Wien, was applied to 10 out of 13 Austrian WTE plants (around 2.3 Mio tons of waste corresponding to around 88 % of the overall waste feed in Austrian WTE plants). The method is based on the mathematical reconciliation of the material properties (e.g. mean chemical composition of biogenic and fossil materials) and routinely recorded operating data of WTE plants (e.g. flue gas volume, CO₂ and O₂-content in the dry flue gas, steam production). The results demonstrate large variations for the share of energy from biogenic sources in the different WTE plants, ranging from 35.7 ± 2.4 % to 61.2 ± 2.7 % (based on annual averages). Additionally, for several WTE plants large temporal variations can be observed based on monthly mean values. Thus, a plant-specific and continuous evaluation of the waste composition in WTE plants (which the Balance Method allows to do at reasonable efforts) can be recommended for a reliable reporting of the renewable share of energy or fossil CO₂ emissions from waste incineration. The energy input which stems from fossil and biogenic sources can be estimated to 11,450 ± 120 TJ and 10,730 ± 110 TJ, respectively for the year 2014 (for the 10 WTE plants). In total 1060 ± 24 kt fossil CO₂ emissions from the thermal recovery of waste in Austria’s WTE plants in 2014 could be determined (estimation for all 13 WTE plants).     

Increased hydropower production and hydropeaking mitigation along the Upper Inn River (Tyrol,Austria) with a combination of buffer reservoirs,diversion hydropower plants and retention basins

Research on hydropeaking in Austria started in the 1990s and the implementation of the WFD stipulated large research projects since the year 2009. The first research projects supported the process understanding and in a second investigation step, measures were evaluated. The mountains in the region of Tyrol create large heads and thus support the production of flexible energy. In this region, TIWAG is operating 9 large (>10 MW) and 27 small (<10 MW) hydropower plants, with an installed capacity of about 1,550 MW and a mean annual production of 3,000 GWh. As the governmental energy strategy foresees an extension of the hydropower production in Austria, suitable options were selected in 2004 by TIWAG and the water management framework plan for Western Tyrol was developed. This strategic planning instrument proposes five large power plants, with a generation of 1,800 GWh/year of renewable energy, which enables to reach the WFD targets, because the concept includes hydropeaking mitigation by combining buffer reservoirs (impoundments), diversion hydropower plants, and retention basins. We present our promising concept of hydropeaking mitigation and exemplify this based on the GKI, a hydropeaking diversion hydropower plants (HPP) at the Swiss/Austrian border as well as the Silz hydropeaking retention basin, with a volume of about 300,000 m³. As the presented case studies are the largest measures for hydropeaking mitigation being currently implemented in Central Europe, they have pilot-character. Thus, ongoing research and monitoring programs are expected to improve the knowledge about hydropeaking mitigation.